In order to grow and thrive, yeast (and people) need a certain comfortable climate in which to flourish. For yeast, that would be 110 degrees. This is not the case for people as many of you probably realized today.
Today was the first canning day of the season. All is gift. Let me count the ways:
1. Tom's guidance. This is my second attempt at a loaf of honey wheat bread. I am committed to learning this.
2. Ila's gooseberries picked, topped and tailed and ready for jam.
3. Simple Ingredients, the kind with only one name: Six cups of gooseberries grown from a bush someone else planted, picked while on my knees and the thorns bit and it made sense that there would be the occasional sting to the hand and arm that wants to reach into the center, six cups of sugar to sweeten because sweet is a close cousin of kind, and ginger, that woody root reminding us to dig deep, pull up and use what we've found.
4. Nora giving the bread the old One-Two. She loved this part. I love this part. There is something to this.
5. The gooseberries soften in the heat, gradually transformed. You have to wait for this a long time. There were points when I wanted to stop. This is completely normal. Keep going anyway. This resistance will teach you something.
6. A boiling hot water bath for the filled jars.
7. I have a happy daughter. Blessed.
8. And then to pick Ila's rhubarb for chutney.
9. And sweet corn from Kris and Terry's field for corn bisque.
10. Nora was in charge of making the salads tonight. Can you guess which is hers and which is mine?
11. And after Nora went to bed, the rhubarb chutney began its transformation. Onion, raisins, sugar, cider vinegar, garlic, ginger, salt, peppercorn, and cloves.
12. And there is resistance at first...
13. And then the epiphany of chutney.
Where I am:
My mouth is watering looking at all this. Your bread looks beautiful!! I just made some last week. I love making bread.
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to come out and see you...Thursday or Friday this week??
Love to you and Nora!! <3